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The world’s next generation of leaders has a responsibility to take advantage of the growing opportunities that have come with a rapid influx of technology and communication throughout the globe. They have the opportunity to improve lives on a massive scale. Leaders in politics, in business, and throughout our communities are only able to lead because of the trust earned from the populace to make decisions on their behalf. And so, on the larger scale that is the world economy, the potential to grow and improve the lives of their regional constituents come with the interconnections of markets that technology has enabled. When nations do not utilize globalization to its full potential, the entire world population loses.

Open foreign markets offer the opportunities of cheaper imports, larger markets for exports, and a level playing ground for the men and women of the world economy. This market efficiency is wasted with the self-interested outlook on global trade which creates “gated” economies. As part of the next generation of global leaders, we must understand why this problem of political and economic restrictions on globalization is harmful for each of our demographic regions. We must challenge our leaders to strive for a cross-cultural competence that encourages the betterment of all people through education, immersion, and a dedication to see our global economy not as a zero-sum gain but as an opportunity for global growth for all nations. Future leaders can only achieve this global growth after they understand the diverse cultures around them.

The first problem that emerging leaders have is not the identification of the advantages of globalization, or the flaws of the “gated globe,” the first problem is accepting the higher responsibility that comes with a growing web of international communication. Our leaders must rely on a cross-cultural competence, an understanding of the nature of regional differences, and the advantages that such diversity offers. Through this type of motivated understanding, the next step is the acceptance that we each have a unique regional identity that contributes (or can contribute) to a larger global identity – which can be achieved through deliberately learning about other cultures.

The task of understanding why diversity is at the center of an argument for globalization is rooted in education and immersion. Other cultures and societies offer innovation and competitive advantage that would promote efficiency in the global market. Our leaders are expected to be versed in the intricacies of the foreign world because shared understanding is the key to global cooperation. The challenge, then, for leaders is to seek out a greater awareness of foreign culture and to inherently gain an appreciation for not only what the rest of the world offers them, but what they offer the rest of the world.

A leader’s outlook on growth must not be of self-interest in which they grow at the expense of others. It is in the best interest of individual countries to cooperate because the growth they achieve through globalization is greater than the growth they can achieve through strict self-centered policy. Leaders must understand the advantages in allowing a freer flow of imports to our nations, a larger market for exports, and an inflow of innovation offered through growing inter-dependence. As leaders struggle with changing a culture wrapped around discrete protectionism, cross-cultural competence offers the idea that collaboration and international growth can exist through an innovative outlook on foreign relationships focused more on assisted growth rather than isolation.

And so, the future generation of leaders is tasked with the development of a certain level of cultural-competence in order to take advantage of diversity in the formation of a global identity. They have the opportunity to change the culture of a civilization to embrace the potential of global cooperation as a means for achieving a greater individual and holistic good.

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the position of the United States Military Academy, the Department of the Army, or the Department of Defense.